Heel knitting machine



July 21, 1942- F. LAMBACH HEEL KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l July 2 1, 1942.

F. LAMBACH HEEL KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mlm mv :11:1 um-- mwm wm Mm NIE July 21, 1942. F. LAMBACH HEEL KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Tf1/'fz amba oh BY WWW MIHIHHHHIHH f8 ATTORNEY.

F. LAMBACH HEEL KNITTING MACHINE.

July 2l, 1942.

Fi1d`Apri1 1:5, 1958 4 sheets-sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 21, 1942 err anais HEEL KNITTIVNG RMCHINE Fritz Lambach, Fairview, N. J., assigner to Robert Reiner, Inc., Weehawkerr, N. J.

1) Claims.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of hosiery and, more particularly, to an improved flat or full-fasihoned knitting machine of the type disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial Number 125,569, filed February 13, 1937, of which this application is a continuation in part. The machine to which the invention pertains is especially adapted to knit heel portions directly onto a combination full-fashioned foot and leg stocking blank in accordance with the method disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial Number 110,707, filed November 13, 1936.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide mechanisms capable of knitting heel portions as continuations of the high heel sections of a combination foot and leg blank and, during the k-nitting of said heel portions, transfer certain loops of the sole sections of said blank for interlooping connection with loops at the inner selvedges of the heel portions, while transferring certain loops at the outer selvedges of the latter to narrow and shape the same.

It is also among the main objects of the invention to provide co-related mechanisms operable to knit heel portions as continuations of the high heel sections of a combination foot and leg blank, to transfer the marginal loops of the sole sections of said blank for overlapping, interlooping connection with certain loops at the inner -selvedges of said heel portions, and to transfer certain loops at the outer selvedges of said heel portions to narrow and shape the same, said mechanisms being respectively associated to co-function in predetermined, timed relation.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a mechanism adapted to knit heel portions into a combination foot and leg blank by knitting the heel portions directly onto the leg portion of the blank and, at the same time, interknit the inner selvedge edges of the heel portions into the Vadjoining portion of the foot fabric to form a nished blank.

In the manufacture of full-fashioned stockings of the so-called single unit type, it has been proposed to knit a combination foot and leg stocking blank in a continuous operation on one Inachine and, thereafter, on a separate machine, to lfzni-t the heel portions onto the blank in the form of heel flaps which are subsequently attached along their inner selvedge edges to 4the first course of the sole fabric by means of the usual looping operation.

The present invention aims to simplify this previously disclosed vmethod by providing a mahandling to which the blank is subjected, and

the resulting cost of producing the stocking. The

knitted connection thus formed between the heel portions and the sole fabric, consisting of interconnected overlapping loops, provides a strong and more flexible connection which is flat in appearance as compared with the present looping stitch.

The invention is moreover characterized by the fact that the mechanical realization thereof may be had through a novel combination of parts, easily and readily adaptable for association with an ordinary well-known footer knitting machine, without necessitating material changes in the basic construction and operation thereof.

It is also a characteristic feature of the invention to provide a simplified attachment which may be conveniently and easily combined with a standard footer knitting machine for converting the same into a heeling machine.

With these and other objects in view, as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention and the advantages to be obtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a knitting machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a transversal section taken through lines 2-2 of Figure l, showing on a reduced scale the elements illustrated in Figure l associated with certain parts and operable elements of the knitting machine.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 3 with certain portions in section.

Figure 5 diagrammatically illustrates a combination full-fashioned stocking blank in which the foot portion is knitted directly onto the leg and high heel portions thereof. Y

Figure `6 is a diagrammatic illustration, on an enlarged scale, of the blank shown in Figure 5 at the juncture of a high-heel portion and a sole portion, topped on two series of topping points in paralleling relationship.

Figure 7 diagrammatically shows the last course of a high heel portion and the rst course of a sole portion topped onto the two series of topping points in straight line relationship subsequent to the serving of the blank at the juncture of said high heel and sole portions for engagement with the transfer bar.

Figure 8 is a face elevation of a knitting section of the heeling machine with portions broken away.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view in side elevation showing a portion of the heeling machine and'transfer bar for the transfer of the fabric from the transfer bar to the heeling machine.

Figure 10 diagrammatically represents the relative positioning of the high heel, sole, and heel portions of the stocking blank after knitting a number of heel courses.

Figure ll is a face elevation illustrating the complete foot and leg stocking blank with the heel portions knitted therein.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, it is to be understood that I have shown only those parts of a full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine which are essential to a clear understanding of the present invention, the basic structure of the knitting machine itself being that of the commonly used footer with which anyone skilled in the art is well acquainted.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred construction of the improved knitting machine, the usual machine frame is indicated at I8 and carries a center bed I2 about which are mounted a plurality of spaced knitting sections, designated in their entirety by the reference character I4.

Each knitting section I4 essentially comprises a needle bar I6, knockover bits I8, and sinkers and dividers 28. The thread or yarn is fed to the knitting sections I4 by means of the carriers 22 depending from the carrier rods 24 mounted for reciprocation in the carrier rod brackets 26. The relative position, essential operation, and function of the needle bar, knockover bits, sinkers, dividers, and carriers are well known by those skilled in the art and, therefore, need not be described in detail herein.

The needle bar I8 carries the knitting needles 28, certain of which are adapted to receive yarn from the carriers 22 and act to knit fabric, the remaining needles being inactive and serving only to retain the loops of a previously knitted fabric for the purpose to be explained in detail hereinafter.

Disposed for cooperation with a predetermined number of active needles at the opposite ends of the needle bar are two relatively small narrowing combs 3) and 32 (Figure 1), respectively fixed to separate narrowing bars 34 and 36 slidably mounted in the usual brackets 31, whereas arranged for coaction with the inactive needles are two relatively wide loop transfer combs 38 and 40 likewise respectively secured to separate narrowing bars 42 and 44, which are also slidably mounted in said brackets 31.

The narrowing combs 38 and 32 are intended to operate independently of the loop transfer combs 38 and 40 and, for that purpose, two separate and distinct mechanisms are utilized. One mechanism, which may be the usual well known narrowing mechanism, is operatively associated with the narrowing bars 34 and 36 to impart a longitudinally sliding movement thereto, while the other mechanism, which may be a loop transfer control mechanism of the type shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,002,116, dated May 21, 1935, is associated with the bars 42 and 44 to impart a longitudinally reciprocating movement thereto.

As more clearly shown in Figure l, the narrowing mechanism comprises a pair of narrowing nuts 46 and 48 respectively engaged with a double threaded spindle 58 rotatably carried in the brackets 31 so that, upon rotation of said spindle, the narrowing nuts will travel in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows A and B. The narrowing nuts are provided with sleeves 52 and 54 slidable on the narrowing shaft 56 supported by the brackets 31. The sleeve 52 of the narrowing nut 46 is provided with a ange 58 connected to the narrowing bar 34 as indicated at 6D, and the sleeve 54 of the narrowing nut 48 also has a flange 62 connected to the narrowing bar 36, as shown at 64. In this manner, it will be understood that said narrowing bars 34 and 36 with their reciprocating narrowing combs 38 and 32 will follow the movement of the corresponding narrowing nuts when the spindle 58 is rotated during a narrowing cycle of the knitting machine.

During such a cycle, the rotation of the spindle E8 is accomplished automatically, through actuation of a pawl and ratchet device 66 operated in the usual manner well known in the art. The narrowing machine may be reset through the ordinary crank and gear mechanism 61.

As shown in the various Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the loop transfer control mechanism comprises a shaft 68 suitably Xed in bearings 10 arranged upon adjacent brackets 31.

Freely mounted on said shaft 68 is a rotatable member 12 formed with ratchet teeth 14 engaged by a pawl 18 which is pivoted at 18 to an arm freely mounted on the rotatable member 12. A spring 82 urges the pawl towards the ratchet teeth. The pawl is flattened as at 16a and 1Gb and when in engagementl with the ratchet teeth, the spring 82 engages the face 16a. When thrown out of engagement with the teeth, the spring then engages the face 16h. Pivoted, as at 84, in the arm 80 is an operating connection 86. As this operating connection is raised, or the narrowing mechanism is lowered, the pawl will be retracted to engage another tooth of the ratchet, and when the operating connection is lowered, or the narrowing mechanism raised, the pawl will move the rotatable member in relation to the shaft, 68.

The operating connection 86, at its lower eX- tremity, is pivoted to a lever 88 which, in turn, is pivoted at 90 to a suitable part of the knitting machine frame. The lever 88 carries a cam roller 92 which engages a cam 94 fixed to the cam shaft 96. A spring 98 maintains the cam roller 92 in engagement with the cam 94. A flexible connection |68 is interposed on the operating connection 86.

To prevent the rotatable member from overrunning, and to insure its position on the shaft 68, said member is provided with a series of notches |02 which are engaged by a springpressed plunger |84. The plunger |84 is mounted in ears |86 formed on a bracket |08 suitably secured to the narrowing shaft 56. A spring III) f is interposed between the uppermost ear |06 and` a collar ||2 on the plunger. The plunger may be raised by a handle ||4 when it is desired to relieve the spring to move the rotatable member by hand.

The rotatable member 72 is provided with a hub or boss IIS having on its face alternating raised portions ||8 and recessed portions |25. Secured by means of a pin |22, or like element, to the shaft d8 adjacent the rotatable member 'i2 is a rectangular block |24. Suitably arranged for sliding movement upon two diametrically opposed faces of said block, are plates |28 and |28, each provided on one side with a flange |38 and on one end with a nose |32 disposed for engagement with the raised and recessed portions H8 and |28 of the rotatable member l2.

The ange of the plate is rigidly connected to the narrowing bar 42 carrying the loop transfer comb 38, whereas the flange of the plate |28 is rigidly connected to the narrowing bar 44 carrying the loop transfer comb 43, for instance, as indicated at |34 and |33 respectively.

Constant engagement of the noses |32 with the cooperating face of the rotatable member 'i2 is assured by means of springs |38 normally urging the narrowing bars in a direction towards said member. The relative position of the raised and recessed portions H8 and |23 on the rotatable member l2 is such that when the nose of one plate |26 or |28 engages a raised portion, the nose of the other plate engages a recessed portion. Thus, during rotation of said member T2, the plates |25 and |28 are caused to slide in opposite directions, thereby imparting opposed reciprocating movements to the narrowing bars 42 and 44 as indicated by the arrows C and D (Figure 1).

Moreover, the relative height and depth of said raised and recessed portions are predetermined so as to cause the combs 38 and 40 to move over the desired or required number of needles to correspondingly affect the transfer of the loops.

From the foregoing description of the loop transfer mechanism, it will be understood that, upon rotation of the main cam shaft 95 during a loop transfer cycle, the narrowing mechanism will be caused to dip rapidly in the usual manner to bring the transfer points into engagement with the needles to engage the loops thereon. At the same time, due to the contour of the cam 94, the operating connection 86 will be slightly lowered, but at a slower speed than the narrowing mechanism so that the pawl 16 will be retracted to engage a new tooth of the ratchet 94. The narrowing mechanism is then moved upwardly with the continued rotation of the cam shaft 95 to pick up or lift the loops off the needles 28 and to bring the points above the line of the sinkers and dividers 28. As the points are raised above the sinker and divider level, the operating connection 8S is moved downwardly by the operation of the arm 88 and operates to rotate the ratchet 14 and rotatable member 12 to shift the narrowing bars 42 and 44 laterally and index the points of the loop transfer combs 38 and 48 with another set of needles. The narrowing mechanism is again depressed to engage the transfer points and loops held thereon with the needles and is finally returned to its neutral position, leaving the loops on the needles.

During the second downward movement of the narrowing mechanism, the pawl 'I6 is again retracted in relation to the ratchet 14, this movement being caused by the downward movement CII of the narrowing mechanism, while at the same time, the operating connection 86'is carried upwardly by the rise of the arm 88 on the cam 94. During the final upward movement of the narrowing mechanism to its raised position, the narrowing mechanism frame moves upwardly with relation to the operating connection 86 so that the pawl 16 is again actuated to rotate the ratchet 74, and the rotatable member 12, to again index the transfer points laterally with relation to the needles preparatory to the beginning of another loop transferring operation.

Attention is called to the fact that the narrowing mechanism and loop transfer mechanism may operate conjointly with, or independently of, each other. With the ratchet device 66 and the pawl and ratchet arrangement 'I4-'I6 in the relative position more clearly shown in Figure 1, it will be understood that both the narrowing mechanism and the loop transfer mechanism will operate in unison. However, by disengaging the pawl 16 from the ratchet 14, the loop transfer mechanism may be rendered inactive without affecting the operation of the narrowing mechanism, but by disrupting the action of the ratchet device 68, the narrowing mechanism will cease to function while the loop transfer mechanism continues to operate.

As hereinbefore stated, the machine is devised to knit heel portions onto a combination fullfashioned leg and foot blank of the type represented in Figure 5. As shown'in said Figure 5, the blank |38 comprises a leg |32 having reinforced high heel portions |34 and a foot |36 with reinforced "sole portions |38 which are formed by continuous knitting into the combination foot and leg blank.

Between the leg and foot portions of the blank, as best shown in Figure 6, two partial non-reinforced courses |48 are provided which serve to form a line of demarcation between those portions of the last course of the foot fabric and the first course of the sole fabric into which the heel portions are subsequently to be knitted. During the knitting of the partial courses above referred to, the knitting with the reinforced yarn is continued on a restricted number of needles so that a reinforced selvedge loop |42 is provided at the inner ends of the partial nonreinforced connecting courses |48 to form the heel corner of the finished blank.

It will be understood that the courses |48 may be knitted with a separate yarn so that when these connecting loops are subsequently removed, as by cutting or pulling out the yarn forming these loops, to separate the reinforced high heel and sole portions of the blank, no yarn forming the body portion of the fabric will have been broken or cut.

In accordance with the invention, the last course of the leg fabric loops designated at |44 and the first course of reinforced sole fabric loops designated at |45, together with the .selvedge loop |42, are topped onto a series of topping points comprising a stationary point |48 and two additional point sections designated respectively at |58 and |52 which are arranged in parallel relationship, as shown in the diagrammatic Figure 6, that is, in substantially the same positions in which the fabric loops appear in the combination blank.

It will be noted that the topping operation, as described, is carried out prior to the cutting or removal of the partial non-reinforced courses |48 so that when the high heel and sole portions of the fabric are separated, all of the disengaged fabric loops are supported by the topping points to prevent any possibility of dropping these loops.

In accordance with the preferred form of applicants method, the loops forming the partial courses may be severed by means of a cutting knife |54 to permit the separation of the two parallel topping point sections and the loops supported thereon which are then moved outwardly into a straight line relationship (Figure '7), in which all of the points are spaced to register with the quills of a transfer bar which may be of ordinary description, and so utilized for transferring the fabric loops from the topping points to the needles of the heel machine.

The construction and operation of the topping stand per se which is disclosed in my copending application, Serial Number 125,569, filed February 13, 1937, forms no part of this invention and, therefore, need not be described herein.

The steps of transferring the fabric from the transfer bar to the needles of a machine for knitting the heel portions may be briefly described in connection with Figure 9. As shown, the transfer bar |55 is placed in supporting brackets |58 formed on each end of the needle bar in which pins |60 on said transfer bar engaged within the slots |62 form in the brackets |58 to register the quills |55 with the needles 28. The needles 28 may then be moved rearwardly and upwardly, the sinkers and dividers 20 at the same time being advanced so that the fabric is engaged thereby and forced from the quills onto the shank of the needles. The transfer bar may then be removed from the needles to permit the knitting of the heel portions.

In knitting the heel portions, the carriers 22 are actuated in the well known fashion to lay the yarn or yarns across the active knitting needles so as to knit the courses |64 (Figure 10) of the heel portions |65. During the knitting of said heel portions, the loops |46 of the first course of the sole portion |38 are gradually transferred for interknitted engagement with said fabric by operation of the loop transfer mechanism already described.

The heel portions |66 may be shaped in the usual manner, as indicated at |68, through operation of the narrowing mechanism functioning to actuate the narrowing combs 30 and 32, as previously explained.

The invention having been described, what I claim is:

1. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses: a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each o-f said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar; and a single progressively rotatable member common to said transfer bars and associated therewith whereby, through the progressive rotation of said member, to impart to the transfer combs relative back and forth movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar.

2. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loo-ps of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses: a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar; a single progressively rotatable member common to said transfer bars and associated therewith whereby, through the progressive rotation of said member, to impart to the transfer combs relative back and forth movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar; and a pawl and ratchet device connected to said member and operatively associated with the knitting machine to be actuated thereby for rotating said member step by step during the function of the machine.

3. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses: a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar; a single progressively rotatable member cornmon to said transfer bars; yieldable means associated with the transfer bars to normally urge the same towards said member; and said member having an alternating arrangement of projections and depressions disposed to act on the transfer bars alternatively in cooperation with said yieldable means whereby, through the progressive rotation of said member, to impart to the transfer combs relative back and forth movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar,

4. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses: a needle b-ar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar; a single progressively rotatable member common to said transfer bars; yieldable means associated with the transfer bars to normally urge the same towards said member; said member having an alternating arrangement of projections and depressions disposed to act on the transfer bars alternatively in cooperation with said yieldable means whereby, through the progressive rotation of said member, to impart to the transfer combs relative back and forth movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar; and a pawl and ratchet device connected to said member and operatively associated with the knitting machine to be actuated thereby for rotating said member step by step during the function of the machine.

5. In aknitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses: a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each o-f said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops wtih certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar; a single progressively rotatable member common to said transfer bars; extensions connected to the transfer bars and projecting therefrom to lie in line with said member; yieldable means associated with the transfer bars to normally urge the extensions thereof into bearing engagement with said member; and said member having an alternating arrangement of projections and depressions adapted to contact said extensions of the transfer bars and so olisposed that when the extension of one transfer bar engages a projection, the extension of the other transfer bar engages a depression whereby, through the progressive rotation of said member, to impart tc the transfer combs relative back and forth movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar.

6. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses: a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of nonknitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar; a single progressively rotatable member common to said transfer bars; extensions connected to the transfer bars and projecting therefrom to lie in line with said member; yieldable means associated with the transfer bars to normally urge the extensions thereof into bearing engagement with said member; said member having an alternating arrangement of projections and depressions adapted to contact said extensions of the transfer bars and so disposed that when the extension of one transfer bar engages va projection, the extension of tbe other transfer bar engages a depression whereby, through the progressive rotation of said member, to impart to the transfer combs relative back and forth movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar; and a pawl and ratchet device connected to said member and operatively associated with the knitting machine to be actuated thereby for rotating said member step by step during the Yfunction of the machine.

'7. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses, the combination with a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; and transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar of: a mechnism for moving said transfer bars and comprising a stub shaft supported in a plane extending longitudinally of the transfer bars; a member mounted on said shaft to rotate in a plane transversely of the transfer bars, one face of said member having an annular arrangement of alternating projections and depressions; a block fixed on said shaft; a pair o-f plates slidable in said block axially of said member andv so disposed in relation to the latter that one plate is aligned with a, projection while the other plate is aligned with a depression; means for connecting one plate to one transfer bar; means for connecting the other plate to the other transfer bar; yieldable means acting to urge said plates in bearing engagement with said member; and means functioning to impart a step by step rotation to said member whereby the projections and depressions thereof in cooperation with said yieldable means displace the transfer bars to impart relative movement to the transfer combs in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar.

8. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses, the combination with a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; and transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movem-ent to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar of: a mechanism for moving said transfer bars and comprising a stub shaft supported in a plane extending longitudinally of the transfer bars; a member mounted on said shaft to rotate in a plane transversely of the transfer bars, one face of said member having an annular arrangement of alternating projections and depressions; a block fixed on said shaft; a pair of plates slidable in said block axially of said member and so disposed in relation to the latter that one plate is aligned with a projection while the other plate is aligned with a depression; means for connecting one plate to one transfer bar; means for connecting the other plate to the other transfer bar; yieldable means acting to urge said plates in bearing engagement with said member; and a pawl and ratchet functioning to impart a step by step rotation to said member whereby the projections and depressions thereof in cooperation With said yieldable means displace the transfer bars to impart relative movement to the transfer combs in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar.

9. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses, the combination with a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; and transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its transfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar, of a mechanism for moving the transfer bars and comprising a member mounted to rotate in a plane transversely of the transfer bars, one face of said member having an annular arrangement of alternating projections and depressions; a pair of plates slidable axially of said member and so disposed in relation to the latter that one plate is aligned with a projection while the other plate is aligned with a depression; means for connecting one plate to one transfer bar; means for connecting the other plate to the other transfer bar; yieldable means acting to urge said plate in bearing engagement with said member; and means functioning to impart a step by step rotation to said member whereby the projections and depressions thereof, in cooperation with said yieldable means, displace the transfer bar to impart relative movement to the transfer combs in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar.

10. In a knitting machine for forming heel tabs between leg and foot fabric portions of a combination stocking blank by knitting the heel tabs as continuations of the leg fabric portions and transferring loops of the foot fabric portions for interknitting with loops of said heel tabs as the knitting thereof progresses, the combination With a needle bar having a set of knitting needles for each of said leg fabric portions and adapted to knit heel tab courses into the latter, and a set of non-knitting needles for each of said foot fabric portions and adapted to support a course of loops thereof; loop transfer combs, one for each set of non-knitting needles, adapted to engage and successively transfer the loops supported on the latter onto certain of the knitting needles for interknitting the transferred loops with certain of the loops of the courses knitted thereby; and transfer bars, one for each transfer comb, each transfer bar carrying its tranfer comb and movable to impart individual movement to the latter longitudinally on the needle bar, of: a mechanism for moving the transfer bars and comprising a member mounted to rotate in a plane transversely of the transfer bars, one face of said member having an annular arrangement of alternating projections and depressions; a pair of plates slidable axially of said member and so disposed in relation to the latter that one plate is aligned with a projection While the other plate is aligned with a depression; means for connecting one plate to one transfer bar; means for connecting the other plate to the other transfer bar; yieldable means acting to urge said plate in bearing engagement with said member; and a paWl and ratchet device functioning to impart a step by step rotation to said member whereby the projections and depressions thereof, in cooperation with said yieldable means, displace the transfer bars to impart relative movement to the transfer combs in opposite directions longitudinally of the needle bar.

FRITZ LAMBACI-I. 

